Amsterdam attractions

Holland Casino boasts several locations across the Netherlands. But don’t expect a grungy, dimly lit gambling hall, especially when it comes to the Amsterdam Centrum location. The casino, located in the heart of the Dutch capital, is known for its upscale ambiance, offering a fleet of slot machines and a mix of table games like poker and blackjack. Meanwhile, its on-site restaurant, the Global Kitchen, serves up international fare like Thai red curry and chicken gyros.

This magnet for cocktail lovers celebrates an Amsterdam favorite: the Bols liqueur (and genever) range, which began with a 16th-century distillery founded by the Bols family. The modern, interactive exhibition features an audio-guided tour with a cocktail in the sleek Mirror Bar, and you can also book packages that include a mixology workshop led by a pro bartender.

The Hague’s 13th-century Inner Court (Binnenhof) complex encompasses several landmarks, including the Gothic Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal), a state building characterized by medieval-style turrets. Now home to the Dutch Parliament, the heritage site attracts visitors with a blend of courtly features and political significance. While viewable from its inner courtyards, the complex provides a grand backdrop to the scenic Hofvijver lake in the heart of the city.

Madurodam, a mini-kingdom on a 1:25 scale, lets you tour the entirety of the Netherlands in an hour. One of Holland’s most popular attractions since its development in The Hague in 1952, it highlights the epitomes of Dutch culture in scale-model replicas of perfectly ornamented bridges, canals, windmills, and national landmarks. There is also a range of rides and themed attractions.

Kalverstraat was home to a busy cattle market for centuries; hence its name, which translates as “Calf Street.” Amsterdam’s growing prosperity in the 17th century led to the arrival of mansions and guild houses, and the bustling neighborhood traded cows for shops. Today, it remains one of Amsterdam’s most famous shopping destinations, home to international clothing brands, as well as De Bijenkorf, a Dutch department store.

Housed in a traditional Amsterdam canal house and former brothel, Red Light Secrets is dedicated to the intriguing world of commercial sex work and is the only museum in the world devoted to this profession. Visitors learn the history of prostitution in the Netherlands and gain fascinating insight into the experiences and daily life of a sex worker in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

If you’re intrigued by the dark side of history, Amsterdam’s Torture Museum affords a glimpse into the medieval age of crime and punishment. This grim and grisly attraction displays more than 40 instruments of torture used around Europe through the Middle Ages, including an inquisition chair, racks and stocks, a guillotine, thumbscrews, the flute of shame, a skull crusher, and a Judas Cradle.

In the eastern neighborhood of Amsterdam-Oost, the Dapper Market, or Dappermarkt, is one of Amsterdam’s oldest, liveliest, and most diverse local markets. Every day except Sunday, the century-old market sprawls along Dapperstrasse, with 250 stands selling everything from fresh meat, fruits, and vegetables to clothing and household goods. Most notably, it’s a foodie hotspot where you can purchase tasty street food and try Surinamese, Turkish, Moroccan, and other international cuisines.

Amsterdam’s signature sporting venue, the Johan Cruijiff ArenA is also the Netherlands’ largest arena, with a match-day capacity of more than 55,000 people. Home to AFC Ajax, Holland’s best known football (soccer) club, the stadium was known as Amsterdam ArenA before taking the name of Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruijff (who also spelled his name Cruyff) in 2018. The venue hosts league games, international tournaments, and concerts.

From its prime position in the heart of Amsterdam’s Red Light District (De Wallen), Casa Rosso Erotic Theatre epitomizes the Dutch capital’s sex-positive attitude—right down to its voyeuristic “sexy loos.” Spicy acts range from pole dances and peep shows to live sex and “banana” shows. Some performers invite willing audience members onstage to join the fun.

Volendam is a quaint Dutch fishing village known for its colorful wooden houses and old fishing boat-lined harbor. The Volendam Museum gives visitors a taste of what life was like in the village during the 19th century. The museum features life-size dioramas, traditional clothing displays, fascinating artifacts, and the highlight - a collection of mosaics made from millions of cigar bands.

No matter how much you know about René Descartes, you’ve definitely heard his most famous coinage: “I think, therefore I am.” The celebrated thinker was born in France, but lived for years as an honorary Dutchman. While the interior of his Amsterdam home now houses a French institute and cultural center, the place where he penned some of his most famous works can still be glimpsed from the outside.

Through an ever-growing collection of artifacts and art exhibitions, Amsterdam’s National Holocaust Museum provides insight into the human cost of the Shoah. It tells the stories of Jews from the Netherlands during this period and explores how this history is approached today. The museum is based in a former teachers’ college that safely harbored hundreds of smuggled Jewish children during World War II, within the city’s Jewish Cultural Quarter.

Marken was once an island known for its whaling and herring fishing industries. Those trades died out long ago, but when the island became a peninsula due to a new causeway from the mainland, Marken became better connected, and has since survived as a tourist attraction. People come to see traditional Dutch houses balanced on manmade hills to protect them from the incoming tides and to pick up handcrafted souvenirs, like wooden clogs.

This is Holland offers travelers the ultimate bird’s-eye view of the Netherlands, allowing you to—virtually—soar over the tulip fields, canals, and windmills of the Netherlands. Buckle up for a 5D flight simulation where you’ll feel the wind in your hair and experience the sights, scents, and sounds of Holland’s top attractions as you “fly” above the country.

Why do kids get all the playgrounds? That’s the idea behind Amsterdam’s WONDR Experience, with surroundings that bend reality to create an immersive world of magic and delight. Designed for adults and accompanied kids, this interactive exhibit encourages connecting with your artistic side, from dancing and singing to jumping into the nearest color-rific ball pit.

The Pathé Tuschinski Theater is one Amsterdam’s most beloved landmarks, located between Rembrandt Square (Rembrandtplein) and Mint Tower (Munttoren) in the heart of the city center. Relatively modern compared to Golden Age-era mansions along the canal, the art deco venue opened as a theater in 1921; today it is considered one of the world’s most beautiful cinemas. Visit to watch a new release movie or for a tour to discover the history of the grand venue.

Amsterdam’s answer to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, Tony’s Chocolonely Super Store is the perfect destination for anyone with a sweet tooth. Located in the historic Beurs van Berlage building—where cocoa was traded a century ago—the Fairtrade chocolate brand’s retail outlet includes a wealth of sweet treats, souvenirs, and much more. You’ll spot a rainbow of colorfully wrapped chocolate bars stacked to the high ceilings, and get to watch as automated machines mix, pour, and package the customized chocolate bars that visitors can make.

Amsterdam's Allard Pierson is an archaeology museum featuring a large collection of artifacts from ancient Mediterranean civilizations, with antiquities dating as far back as 4,000 BC. Here, you'll find everything from Etruscan statues to Egyptian sarcophagi, Greek pottery, and models of ancient temples. It’s all housed in a gorgeous multistory building overlooking the canal, with views of riverboats going by.

The Zuiderzeemuseum is one of the Netherlands’ most unique open-air museums, spotlighting the maritime history and cultural heritage of the Zuiderzee: a Dutch inlet near Enkhuizen, north of Amsterdam. Experience what life was like in a fishing village from the late 19th to early 20th century as you explore more than 140 historic buildings, watch displays of traditional craftsmanship, and admire the collection of beautifully preserved wooden ships.

Trippy and surreal though it might be, Amsterdam’s The Upside Down is not a Stranger Things tribute act. Instead, it’s one of Europe’s largest social media extravaganzas, serving up mind-bending illusions, interactive fun, and wacky selfie fodder across 25 separate rooms. You can capture the Insta-magic in a pink private jet, a ball pit, a Mondrian-inspired room, an upside-down throne room, and more.

When it first opened in 1987, the Hash Marihuana and Hemp Museum was highly controversial, and was shuttered after just one day. After successfully challenging the shutdown, the museum returned, and today, you’ll find a range of exhibits committed to providing education on cannabis, including an art gallery, a collection of consumption paraphernalia, and exhibits on the global history of hemp.

One of the latest additions to Amsterdam’s theatrical venues is the glass-front Theater Amsterdam, situated along the IJ Waterfront. The purpose-built theater opened its doors in 2014 for the premiere of ANNE, a play about the latter years of Anne Frank’s life in Amsterdam. Today, it hosts a variety of contemporary plays, concerts, and shows, as well as corporate events and galas.

Billed as the world’s only floating cat sanctuary, Amsterdam’s De Poezenboot (The Cat Boat) is unlike any of the other houseboats that frequent the city’s picturesque canals. Established nearly 60 years ago, De Poezenboot takes in and rehomes hundreds of cats each year. It’s also open several times a week to cat lovers who want to greet and play with the resident felines.

One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, Amsterdam’s Hortus Botanicus is home to more than 6,000 different types of trees and plants, including a giant water lily that’s more than 150 years old. A palm house, an orangery, a butterfly greenhouse, and the Climate House, featuring three climatic zones, mean there’s something to enjoy whatever the weather.

Celebrating its specialty, this Amsterdam museum takes you from the history of Dutch cheesemaking to, yes, free samples of some of the Netherlands’ best cheese. In fact, the majority of the experience is dedicated to cheese sampling and perusing countless styles of the good stuff, so come hungry—and leave happy.

Muiden Castle, or Muiderslot, is one of the better-preserved medieval castles in the Netherlands. Built in 1370 about 10 miles (15 kilometers) south of Amsterdam, this square fortress comes straight out of a video game, with classic elements like towers, battlements, and a moat. It now serves as a national museum showcasing period rooms, armor collections, and beautiful gardens designed in 17th-century style.

Graffiti lovers don’t have to pound the streets of Amsterdam to find some of its best murals; many are on display at STRAAT. The museum gathers more than 180 works by nearly as many street artists under one roof. Showcasing work by both well-known artists and up-and-coming talent, STRAAT draws visitors with its exhibitions, guided tours, and hands-on workshops suitable for street artists at any level.

For the quintessential Dutch cheese experience, stop by the Amsterdam Cheese Company. With several locations across the city, each storefront promises a top-notch variety, with staff on hand to offer samples, direct you to new flavors, and make sure you and your palate leave familiar with the glory of Dutch cheese.

One of Amsterdam’s largest and most well-known markets, the Noordermarkt has been held in the city for 400 years, since the Dutch Golden Age. Today, the market is held twice a week on Mondays and Saturdays and comprises several areas with different specialties. It’s a popular destination for ingredients, antiques, clothes, and a highlight of Amsterdam's central Jordaan district.